Machine for closing collapsible tubes and applying keys thereto.



W.- S. MORRISON. MACHINE FOR CLOSING GOLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND APPLYING KEYSTHERETO. v

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 8, 1908.

920,609 Patented May}, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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w. s. MORRISON; MACHINE FOR CLOSING OOLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND APPLYING KEYSTHBRETO;

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. I908. 4 4 8HEBTS-8EEET 2.

W. s. MORRISON. MACHINE FOR CLOSING GOLLAPSIBLB TUBES AND APPLYING KEYSTHERETO.

APPLICATION I'ILBD MAY 8. 1f308. May 4 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

attmmu o W. S. MORRISON. MACHINE FOR CLOSING GOLLAPSIBLB TUBES ANDAPPLYING KEYS THERB'I'O.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1908.

920,609. Patented May 4, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

area.

WINFIELD SCOTT MORRISON, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR CLOSING GOLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND APPLYING KEYS THEBETO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ii Iay 4:, 1909.

Application filed. May 8, 1998. Serial No. 431,654.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .ViNmnLn Soo'rT lvlon- RISON, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and Stateof California, have invented. a new and useful Machine for ClosingCollapsible Tubes and Applying Keys Thereto, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to metal founding and has a special reference toa machine for closing collapsible tubes and applying keys thereto.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved generalconstruction of such a m a chine Another object of the invention is toprovide an improved operating mechanism for the dies in such a machine.

A third object of the invention is to provide an improved form of pumpand pump operating mechanism in a machine of this character.

The invention consists in a table or frame whereon is mounted a meltingpot, a thermostatically regulated gas burner, a tube support, a pair ofclamping and casting dies, a metal pump, and means for operating saiddies and pump.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of constructionand combinations of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed in accordancewith this invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of such a machine. Fig. 31s a right slde elevation of such a machine. Fig. 1 is a horizontalsection In the present embodiment of the invention the numeral 10indicates the base or table of the device. Upon this base or table 13 apair of standards 11 having a cross bar Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofthe 12 therebetween. Bearings 13 are formed at the upper end of thesestandards and receive a cam shaft 14. A belt pulley 15 is rotatablymounted on the shaft and has attached thereto a clutch member 16. Aclutch member 17 is rigidly keyed to the shaft 14. The clutch members 16and 17 may be of any preferred form and it is not deemed necessary toillustrate or describe in the present invention any specific form ofsuch device. It will be preferable, however, to use some form of clutchwhich automatically disengages after one revolution of the shaft.

Mounted upon the bar 12 is a bracket 18 which carries a melting pot 19.The bracket 18 is provided with a rearwardly and upwardly extending arm20 having a pump lever 21 pivotally attached thereto. Within the meltingpot 19 is formed a pump cylinder 22 open at the top and further providedwith a lateral opening 23 extending inwardly to afford communicationwith the metal contained in the melting pot. A pump rod guide 241 isformed at the upper end of the melting pot and a pump rod 25 having apiston head 26 lies within the pump cylinder and the pump rod guide.Collars 27 are fixedly mounted on the pump rod 25 and the end of thepump lever is forked as shown at 28 so as to embrace the pump rod 25 andlie between the collars 27. Rigidly secured to the melting pot 19 is arod 29 which passes through a lug 30 on the pump lever 21. Mounted onthe rod 29 is a collar 31 and between that collar and the lug 30 is helda spring 32 which normally tends to force the pump rod down. Keyed uponthe shaft 14 so as to rotate therewith is a cam 33. Mounted upon thepump lever 21 is a roller 34 which presses against the cam 33. It willthus be seen that with every revolution of the shaft 1% the pump pistonwill be raised by the action of the cam 33 and depressed by the actionof the spring 32. The exterior portion of the melting pot 19 isflattened opposite the lower end of the pump cylinder,

. and is provided with a recess 35 wherein is mounted a bushing 36,preferably of bardened steel having an opening 37 thereto. An opening 38is formed in the wall of the pump cylinder and communicates with theopening 37. Axially coincident with the opening 38 but in the oppositewall of the pump cylinder is an opening 39. A gland 10 is formed in thewall of the melting pot 19 at a point opposite to and axially coincidentwith the openings 39 and 38. A valve stem 41 passes through the gland 40and is adapted to lie within the openings 39 and 38, and form a closurefor the opening 37. An operating handle 42 is attached to the valvestem. Suitable plugs 43 are provided at the lower end of the melting potand pump cylinder.

Mounted upon a short shaft 44 rigidly attached to the melting pot arelevers 45 and 46, bell-crank type. The levers 45 and 46 are provided attheir lower ends with jaws adjusted to receive die blocks 48. The iieblocks 48 are hollow interiorly to provide a passage for a circulatingcooling medium, in the present case water. For this purpose there isprovided suitable pipe connection 49 and a supply pipe 50 havingsuitable vaives therein. The die blocks 48 are so a1 anged that when incontact the upper portion and one end of the lower portion will pressagainst similar portions on the opposite die, as show at 51. A half moldof the key desired to be formed is made in each of the die blocks asindicated at 52. Immediately JGlOW' the shank of the key the opposedfaces of the die blocks are spaced as at 53 for a short distance and arethen beveled or outwardly flared as at 54. This construction can best beobserved in Fig. 8. The die blocks 48 are further provided with a lug 55and when the dies are in contact these lugs form a runner block havingeach one-half of a runner as at 56 formed therein.

In order to provide a means for pressing the die blocks firmly agamstthe melting pot during the operation of said means, there is mounted onthe melting pot a pin 57 having a bar 58 slidably mounted thereon, butsecured from rotation by any desired means. 011 the outer end of the pin57 is a threaded portion 59 whereon is mounted a washer 60 and nut 61. Aspring 62 is also nibunted on the pin 57 and lies between the bar 58 andthe washer 60. Each of the lovers 45 and 46 is provided with a lug 63.The faces of the lugs are arranged to lie in the same plane and are incontact with the bar 58. By means of the nut 59 the spring 62 may betensioned to the required degree and will cause the bar 58 to force thedie blocks firmly against the flattened portion of the melting pct 19.

Mounted upon the shaft 14 to rotate therewith is a cam 64 provided witha cam groove 65 adapted to receive a roller 66, which is supported onthe lever 45. There is also mounted on the shaft 14 and "fixedlyattached thereto a second cam 67 provided with a cam groove 68 arrangedto receive a roller 69 carried on the lever 46.

A gas burner 70 preferably of the Bunsen type is supported beneath themelting pot 19 and passes upward throu h an opening 71 in the base 10.The burner 7 O is supplied with gas from a suitable pipe 72 which isprovided with valves 73 and 74. A cover 75 is 1 provided for a portion01' the top of the melt- 1 ing pot and. attached to this cover isthermostat stand 76. A pipe 77 branches from the pipe 72 between thevalves 73 and 74 and extends to a thermostatically controlled valveindicated at 78. A pipe 79 leads from the thermostaticaily controlledvalve to a point beyond the valve 74 and there is thus l'ormed a by passextending around said valve, the iiow of gas therethrough beingthermostaticaiiy controlled.

ii screen 80 surrounds the upper end oi' the burner 70 and is here shownas provided with a series of perforations 81 to permit the passage ofthe heated gases tl'ierethrough. Surrounding and spaced from the screen80 and the melting pct 19 is a casing 82 which. is supported on suitablelugs formed on the melting pot. A cover 83 closes that portion oi themelting pot not covered by the cover 75 and is provided with means toremove the same from the melting pot. This cover 83 may if desired behinged either to the melting pot or the fixed portion of the cover 75.it hen the cover is closed the space around the melting pot between thatand the casing 82 is closed in at the top. In order to provide or theescape oi the gases a chimney 84 is mounted on the casing 82 andcoinmunicates with the space between casing and the melting pot.

in order to actuate the clutch there is provided on that one of thestandards 11 which is nearest the clutch a lug 85 whereon is pivotallymounted a bell-crank lever 86 one arm oi which is attached to the clutchas shown in Fig. 1, and the other arm of which extends across themachine and is connected to a treadle rod 87, which in turn extendsdownward to a suitable loot treadle not deemed necessary here to beshown. Attached to the bell-crank lever 86 and to the frame of thedevice is a spring 88 normally throwing the clutch out oi engagement.

Upon the base of the machine is mounted a boss 89 having an upwardlyextending pin 90 thereon. Upon the pin 90 is mounted a sleeve 91provided at its upper end with a laterally extending bifurcated arm 92,the inner side of the bifurcated portion being shaped to receive the capand neck of a collapsible tube. This tube is indicated by ieavy dottedlines in several of the views as at 93.

in order to provide for the casting of vai rious sizes of keys on diierent styles and sizes of collapsible tubes the die blocks 48 aredetachably secured to the jaws 47 by means of set screws 94 and thesleeve 91 is made in a variety of lengths and proportioned so that anysizes of collapsible tube-s may be held therein.

As it is desirable to know at all times the temperature of the moltenmetal in the melting pot there is provided a thermometer 95 attached tothe cover 7 5 and extending downward therethrough. This thern'ioineteris preferably metal incased in order to prevent damage thereto.

The operation of the device will now be described. The first step to beaccomplished is the melting of an alloy suitable for forming the closureand key. The solid alloy, preferably broken into small pieces is placedin the melting pot in the desired quantity. The

valves 73 and 74 are then opened and the burner 7 0 lighted. \Vith theburn er and pipe properly pro ortioned to the size of the melting potand t 1e valves opened in this manner, the contents of the pot arequickly melted. When the molten metal has reached the requiredtemperature, that is to say that temperature at which it is found bypractice that the alloy forms the best casting, the valve 74 is closedand the thermostatic valve is adjusted to regulate the flow of gasthrough the by pass pipes 77 and 79 and maintain the molten bath at thistemperature. The machine now being ready for work a previously filledtube, flattened at one end so that the edges of the flattened end are inclose contact, is placed up side down in the holder 92 and with theflattened edges in contact with the portion 53 of the rear die 48. Thetreadle is then depressed, (it being assumed that the belt pulley 15 isin motion), and the clutch actuated to put the shaft 14 with variouscams thereon in motion. During the first part of the rotation of theshaft and cams the lever 46, and consequently the rear die blocks4S'remain stationary while the lever 45 with the front die blocks 48 isclosed in thereon and the flattened end of the tube is thus securelyclam ed between the front and rear die blocks. ifs soon as this isaccomplished the levers 45 and 46 move synchronously as a unit towardthe rear of the machine until the runner 56 is brought opposite theopening 37. By means of circular portions of the cam grooves, lateralmotion of the die blocks now stop. Meanwhile, by the action of the pumpcam the pump piston 26 has been raised so as to let sufficient metal forone casting pass through the opening 23 and into the lower part of thepump cylinder 22. As the die blocks come to rest the roller is at itshighest point and immediately thereafter the lifting action of the cam33 ceases. The spring 32 now presses the piston 26 downward and there isejected sufficient metal to form the closure and the key. The levers 45and 46 are now caused to move synchronously forward thus cutting off thesprue formed in the opening 37 and closing said opening. As soon as thishas been accomplished the lever 46 comes to rest while the lever 45continues to open until the parts again assume the position in whichthey were at the time of starting and which is shown in Fig. 9. Asstated previously, it is preferable to use a clutch which will stop atthe end of the cycle of movement, but it is to be understood that if thefoot is put upon the treadle the clutch will continue to operate and thecollapsible tubes may thus be continuously sealed and provided withkeys.

Should it at any time be deemed advisable to change the die while thereis molten metal in the pot 19, all that is necessary to do is toslightly raise the pump piston 26 and screw in the valve stem 41. Theend of this stem will then act as a valve to close the opening 37 andthe die blocks may be changed without danger of loss of metal throughthat opening and the consequent injury of the op erator. When the changehas been effected the opening 37 may again. be freed and the operationcontinued with the new die blocks.

When it is desired to draw off the molten metal remainin in the pot 19,the plug 43 under that pot is removed and the metal allowed to flow outof the opening thus left. In like manner the pump cylinder 22 can becleared of the molten metal therein contained It is obvious that manyminor changes may be made in the form and proportion of the pot of thisdevice without departing from the principles thereof. It is not,therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form andproportion herein set forth but it is desired to include all such asproperly come within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters-Patent is 1. A tube support, oppositelydisposed pivoted tube crushing dies cooperating to constitute a mold,and means for simultaneously actuating said dies.

2. A tube support, opposed pivoted tube crushing dies cooperating toconstitute a mold, a revoluble shaft, and means upon the shaft forpositively engaging the dies to simultaneously actuate them.

3. A tube support, oppositely disposed pivotally supported tube crushingdies, said dies cooperating to constitute a mold, means for actuatingthe dies to crush the tube and for maintaining the dies together for apredetermined period, and means for directing molten metal into the diesduring their period of rest.

4. A tube support, opposed pivotally mounted dies adjacent thereto forcrushing one end of a tube mounted on the support, means forsimultaneously actuating the dies to crush the tube and for maintainingsaid dies together for a predetermined period, said dies cooperating toform a key mold, a melting pot having an outlet, means for shifting thedies into register with the outlet while closed together, and means fordirecting a molten metal into the dies from said outlet.

5. A tube support, opposed pivotally' supported dies for crushing oneend of a tube mounted on the support, means for bringing the diestogether to crush the tube, said dies cooperating to constitute a keymold, a melting pot, means for shifting the contacting dies intocommunication with the melting pot, and means for forcing a molten metalinto the dies.

A tube support, levers adjacent thereto, opposed dies carried by therespective levers, means for actuating the levers to crush one end.portion of the supported tube between the dies, said dies cooperating toconstitute a key mold, a melting pot, means for bodily shifting thelevers and dies laterally to place the dies in communication with themelting pot, and means for forcing molten metal from said pot and intothe dies.

7. A tube support, levers mounted for oscillation adjacent thereto, adie carried by each lever, said dies being oppositely disposed, meansfor actuating the levers to bring the dies together and crush a portionof the tube, said dies cooperating to constitute a key mold, andmechanically controlled means for directing molten metal into the dies.

8. A tube support, levers adjacent thereto, a die detachably mountedupon each lever, said dies being oppositely disposed, means foractuating the levers to crush a portion of a supported tube between thedies, said dies cooperating to constitute a key mold, means fordirecting molten metal into the dies.

9. A tube support, dies mounted for oscillation adjacent thereto, meansfor actuating the dies to crush a portion of a supported tube, said ciescooperating to constitute a key mold, a melting pot having an outlet,means for shifting the dies into communica tion with the outlet, andmeans for forcing molten metal through the outlet and into the dies.

10. A tube support, detachably supported dies mounted for oscillationadjacent thereto, means for actuating the dies to crush a portion of thesupported tube, said dies cooperating to constitute a key mold, andmeans for directing a cooling medium into each die.

11. A tube support, a melting pot ha 'ing a valved outlet, means forforcing molten metal through the outlet, levers mounted for oscillationadjacent the outlet and above the tube support, dies carried by thelevers and oppositely disposed, means for actuating the levers to crusha portion of the supported tube between the dies, said dies cooperatingto constitute a key mold, and springpressed means for shifting the diesand levers laterally to bring the dies in position to receive moltenmetal from the outlet.

12. In a device of the character described, a tube sup ort, a two partdie adapted to clamp the attened end of a tube, means to force moltenmetal maintained at a definite temperature into said die, leverssupporting the parts of said die, a rotatable cam shaft, cams carriedthereon, cam rollers mounted on said. levers to coact with said cams,said levers and cams constituting an opening and closing mechanism forsaid die.

13. In a device of the kind described, a tube support,a two part dieprovidedwith a key mold therein and adapted to clamp the flattened endof a tube and hold the same in the shank portion of said key mold, meansto force molten metal maintained at a dell.- nite temperature into saiddie and simultaneously close said tube and cast a key thereon, leversprovided with jaws to receive theparts of said die, fastening meansmounted on said jaws to detachably secure the parts of said die therein,a rotatably mounted cam shaft, cams mounted thereon, and rollers mountedon said levers and ada ted to coact with said cams and open an closesaid die.

14. In a device of the character described, a tube support, a two partdie provided with. a key mold therein and runner therefrom, and adaptedto clamp the flattened end of a tube and hold the same in shank portionof said key mold, means to pour molten metal into said key mold andsimultaneously close said tube and cast a key therein, comprising metalmelting pot, means coacting therewith to maintain the molten metal at afixed temperature, a pump cylinder formed therein, provided with anopening leading there from and adapted to register with the runner ofsaid die, a pump piston held in said cylinder, a piston rod attached tosaid piston, a cam shaft, means to rotate said cam shaft, a cam mountedon said shaft to rotate therewith, a cam lever actuated by said cam andadapted to actuate said piston rod, levers supporting the parts of saiddie, and means for actuating said levers to open and close said die.

15. In a device of the character described, a tube support, a two partdie provided with a key mold therein and a runner therefrom, and adaptedto clamp the flattened end of a tube and hold the same in the shankportion of said key mold, means to pour molten metal into said key moldand simultaneously close said tube and cast a key thereon, comprising ametal melting pot, means coacting therewith to maintain the molten metalat a fixed temperature, a pump cylinder formed therein provided with anopening leading therefrom, a pump piston held in said cylinder, a pistonrod connected to said piston, a cam shaft, means for rotating said camshaft, a cam mounted on said cam shaft and adapted to actuate said pumppiston rod, lev rs provided with jaws adapted to receive the parts ofsaid die,the aws having securing means adapted to detach- 920,609 &

ably attach parts of said die thereto, other my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature cams mounted on said shaft, and rollers on in thepresence of two Witnesses. sald levers adapted to e115 'a 'e said camsto open and to close said ie and move the VINFIELD SCOTT MORRISON a sameinto and out of registering position with the opening from said pumpcylinder. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as Witnesses:

ESTHER HARRIS, D. B. RICHARDS.

